What Friends Do
by lizzytizzy
Summary: Harry finally realizes his feelings for Hermionie, but unfortunatly, so does Ron. Will one pair find true love? Or will the bonds of friendship prove too strong to break?
1. Chapter 1

**In case anyone missed me, I'm back. I haven't had much spare time recently, and my English class sucks out all my creative energy, but I found a story I started back in the summer, so I've expanded it, and I hope to make it a three parter. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**

Harry and Hermionie were sitting on a couch in the Burrow, their lips less then an inch apart. It was well past midnight, and everyone was already upstairs in bed. They had stayed in this position for nearly a minute, neither of them willing to make the first move, though they both desperately wanted to.

"Hermionie," Harry whispered, his breath blowing on Hermionie's face.

"Yes?" she answered, blushing at the awkwardness of the situation.

"I – I can't." Harry said, turning his face away from the brunette.

Hermionie moved over on the couch, obviously embarrassed.

"I want to," Harry continued, seeing Hermionie's hurt face, " but I can't. It's Ron, he fancies you, you know that right? And, I can't stab him in the back like this, not after all we've been through, it'll crush him"

Hermionie nodded in agreement. " I suppose you're right, we can't, I mean it never would have worked, why complicate things?, we just – I – I'm sorry Harry, I have to go." She said, kissing him on the cheek before running for the stairs.

Harry watched after Hermionie as she ran away from him, touching his cheek where a single tear from Hermionie had landed as she kissed him. As Hermionie disappeared up the stairs Harry's expression changed from one of sadness to anger. He threw the pillow next to him across the room. It wasn't fair, he and Hermionie had finally managed to find each other, and now they couldn't even be together. A million scenarios of how that could have gone better rolled though Harry's mind. Maybe if he had realized his feelings earlier, or maybe if he had acted sooner. "Damn it Ron," he said under his breath. If only Ron hadn't finally admitted his feelings to Harry, if Harry could claim he hadn't known, maybe it would have been different. Harry sighed as he made his way upstairs. He couldn't be mad at Ron, he really hadn't done anything wrong.

The next morning at breakfast Harry and Hermionie were oddly distant, not that anyone would notice, with the chaos that always accompanied breakfast with the Weasley's. Harry or Hermionie would coldly ask the other to pass the butter or a fork, all while avoiding eye contact, and trying in vain to partake in the lively conversations. Ron, as unobservant as always hadn't noticed a change in his best friend's demeanour. He leaned over to Harry and whispered that he was planning to do "it" right after breakfast, and could he try to keep Fred and George occupied? Harry nodded, watching Hermionie out of the corner of his eye as he thought back to the conversation that had occurred when he got to his room the night before.

"There you are, " Ron had said, "Finally, so guess what? I've finally decided to do it. Tomorrow, I'm asking Hermionie out to dinner in Daigon Ally…"

Harry hadn't heard much after that. He needed to focus all his energy on keeping his face unreadable. Harry came out of his daze just in time to see Ron stand up from the table. He managed a dull sounding "Good luck mate" before turning to the twins, who had also noticed Ron's early departure and managed to keep them in conversation about their joke shop long enough for Ron to depart outside with Hermionie.

As Hermionie followed Ron outside she had a pretty good idea about what he was about to ask her, and she knew she wasn't ready to give him an answer. Nonetheless she smiled patiently as Ron mumbled his way through his little speech, finally coming to the point, "So," he continued, "I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner with me tomorrow night in Diagon Alley."Hermionie managed to plant a surprised look on her face, and heard the words tumble out of her mouth, "Sure," she said " I'd love to, I wanted to get some new books and potions ingredients anyway, and Harry was saying just yesterday that he needed some new dress robes. We should ask him and make a day of it."

Hermionie turned to leave, quite pleased with herself for sidestepping the question. Ron, however was more persistent then she'd hoped, and grabbed her arm before she could escape. "I errr, sort of thought that maybe, it could just be the two of us." Ron mumbled, staring at this feet.Hermionie couldn't play dumb any longer. "Ohhhh, yes, of course, well, sure, yes, I'd love to." She managed to blurt out while plastering a smile on her face, and giving Ron a quick peck on the check before she left.

As she walked back inside she was surprised to see Harry waiting for her. "You could've warned me!" She managed to hiss in his ear, before she attempted to sidestep him. Harry was too quick though, and grabbed her wrist before she could get away. "So I guess you two are an item now? Not that is matters to me, seeing as how we never could have worked apparently" He said."I guess so," she whispered, close to tears, "But you're the one who wanted to watch out for Ron's interests.""Yes I did, " Harry replied, " But I care about yours more, and if you go through with this thing with Ron then we can never find out what'll happen, and I'm not sure I can live with that, can you?""Well, thanks to you it appears I'll have to." Hermionie said, wrenching her wrist from his grasp, and running, once more up the stairs, away from a disappointed Harry.

Harry watched as Hermionie disappeared up the stairs. He was still debating with himself the merits of going after her when Ron came through the door. "I did it mate," he smiled. "Tomorrow night, Diagon Alley." He paused, "Wow, can you believe it? For a minute there I didn't think she'd say yes. I wasn't sure if she really liked me, ya know just last month my mom was muttering on about her and you. Can you believe it? The two of you together? What a laugh that would've been.""Ya," Harry managed to choke out, "who would ever expect that? Well congratulations mate, you have no idea how lucky you are." Harry turned and went out to the backyard. He stopped under the willow tree and stared sulkily out into the garden.

By now Hermionie had reached the room she shared with Ginny, she was glad to find the place empty, and she settled herself down on her window seat. Under her window sat a miserable looking young man sitting under a willow tree. Hermionie sighed, " I'm sorry Harry," she said, " I – I think I was wrong. I love Ron… as a friend, but I think I love you more."

"You're not the first to fall for Harry Potter, you know, and you won't be the last," a voice said from the doorway.

Hermionie turned around and gasped, looking at the face of the red head who has just appeared in the doorway.

* * *

**Part two hopefully coming soon! I'm more eager to write when I get reviews... so like it? hate it? Let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is REALLY short, but I wanted to post something, and I hit writers block, and can just not process another word.**

**Now would be a good time to mention that this takes place in late summer before book 6, so before the events of HBP.

* * *

**

Previously:

Hermionie sighed, " I'm sorry Harry," she said, " I – I think I was wrong. I love Ron… as a friend, but I think I love you more."  
"You're not the first to fall for Harry Potter, you know, and you won't be the last," a voice said from the doorway.  
Hermionie turned around and gasped, looking at the face of the red head who has just appeared in the doorway.

* * *

Hermionie quickly wiped her eyes, "Oh, Ginny, hi, I ummm I didn't see you come in..."  
"But, you heard me right? Because I heard you."  
"Ya, of course, but really have no idea what you're talking about," Hermionie lied, "I'm not in love, I mean, I can't, I"  
Ginny smirked, "I never said you were. Those are your words, but I guess it's the truth huh?"  
Hermionie closed her eyes, trying to block out the moment. "Okay," she thought to herself, "maybe when I open my eyes she'll be gone. She's not here, please, don't be here, I don't want to deal with this." Hermionie cracked one eye open and peered at the doorway. She breathed a sigh of relief, Ginny was gone.  
"You have to tell him you know, he deserves that much."  
Hermionie jumped and looked at her window seat where Ginny now sat, she silently cursed at herself. She sat there debating with herself for several minutes, before she decided that she couldn't avoid the confrontation any more. "Harry knows," she said, looking up at Ginny, "but he decided - we decided together that it could never work."  
Ginny smiled kindly at Hermionie, "I wasn't talking about him, I meant Ron. You can't go through with this date Hermionie, it wouldn't be fair to either of you."  
Hermionie looked away from her friend, "Ginny it's complicated, I couldn't bear to hurt Ron like that."  
Ginny joined Hermionie at her bed and held her hand, "Trust me, when this all falls apart - and you know it will - it'll hurt him a million times more."  
Hermionie shook her head, "No," she said, " I could fall in love with him. We could make it work."  
Ginny shook her head, " Hermionie come on," she said softly, " You can't force yourself to fall in love with someone any more then you can force yourself to fall out of love with someone else."

Hermionie sighed; she knew that Ginny was right. She got up and walked over to her window. Harry was still sitting under the willow. She turned back to Ginny and managed a smile. "Thanks," she said, "I think you've helped. I need to go have a chat with someone."  
"Glad to help," Ginny said, a fake smile planted on her face.  
Hermionie stopped on her way to the door, " Are you sure that you're okay?" she asked, " I know that you always had this thing for Harry, and well, I don't want anything to come between us either."  
Ginny shook her head, "Go talk to him," she said, "You make him happy, besides, I'm over him, or, at least, I will be, go talk to him. I'd rather see the two of you happy together then miserable apart."  
"Thanks," Hermionie said, hugging Ginny " You're a good friend," she said, walking towards the door.

Ginny walked towards the window and glanced down at the willow tree below her. She could see Harry's face light up as Hermionie walked towards him. She sighed to herself, "you two better really love each other Harry's not someone girls get over easily."

* * *

**Sorry it's sooooo short, but reviews are still appreciated. And while you wait for more why not check out my other fics?**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm back, and with another chapter, I'm really starting to plot this story out, so it's going to be a little longer then orginially planned. As always I didn't write the Harry Potter books, and please read and review... enjoy!**

* * *

**Previously:**

Ginny shook her head, "Go talk to him," she said, "You make him happy, besides, I'm over him, or, at least, I will be, go talk to him. I'd rather see the two of you happy together then miserable apart."  
"Thanks," Hermionie said, hugging Ginny " You're a good friend," she said, walking towards the door.

Ginny walked towards the window and glanced down at the willow tree below her. She could see Harry's face light up as Hermionie walked towards him. She sighed to herself, "you two better really love each other Harry's not someone girls get over easily."

* * *

Harry sat under the willow brooding to himself. He felt horrible, not only for himself, but for everyone involved, he wasn't happy, Hermione wasn't, and Ron… well Ron was happy now, but Harry had the distinct feeling he wouldn't be happy for long.

* * *

Hermione attacked the Burrow stairs, taking them two at time, coming to a screeching halt at the bottom as she regained an acceptable amount of compose, and realized that as she walked she had less and less time to rehearse what she was going to say. As she tried to run the imminent conversation through her head she realized there was nothing to rehearse; she hadn't come up with the words yet.

* * *

Ron sat on his bed in his shared room with Harry, feeling quite pleased with himself as he polished the new broom his mother had given him for becoming prefect. 

"Maybe this year won't be half bad after all," he said to himself, "I've got the badge, I'm getting the girl, not much more could make the year better, well considering how last year ended," he said with a shudder, "but still, there is one thing," he said with a hopeful grin as he eyed up his broomstick.

* * *

Ginny sighed as she continued to watch Hermione approach Harry. She saw Harry glance around as Hermione neared him, and she quickly ducked out of the window, unable to watch anymore. 

Ginny launched herself onto her bed, and as she stared up at her ceiling she tried her best to be happy for the couple below her window. Hermione was her closest friend, and Harry, well, he was Harry, and the whole world wanted him to be at his top, why should she be any different? If Hermione was his girlfriend, he'd need a new girl advisor, and that would be something,

"Oh well," Ginny sighed, "better to be friends then nothing at all…right?"

* * *

Harry beamed as he saw Hermione approaching him; he glanced around, not quite believing that she could actually be coming to talk to him after everything that happened in the last twelve hours. He did a double take at the bedroom window upstairs, he could have sworn he saw a flash of red hair, he briefly wondered if the hairs owner was still watching, but as Hermione placed herself next to him, the thought quickly vanished. 

Harry looked down at the girl beside him expectantly, but she seemed to be frozen.

"So…," he began awkwardly, "about earlier, I don't really know what to say, maybe I made things more complicated then they had to be just then, I mean, a kiss is just a kiss, a date is just a date, and – " "

I can't do it."

* * *

Hermione sat down next to Harry, and stared up at him, transfixed in his focused eyes. She panicked as she realized that she was freezing, that the words hadn't just come to her after all. 

"So…, Harry began, "about earlier…"

The sound of Harry's voice usually calmed Hermione down, but now it wasn't, as he spoke a million other thoughts raced through her mind….was he ending it? Well not that there would be anything to end at all, but her heart sped up at the thought of him ending whatever semi-thing they had before she had the chance to tell him, she stared at him, searching his eyes as he spoke, "A kiss is just a kiss, a date is just a date, and – "

"I can't do it." Hermione blurted out. "I'm breaking off the date with Ron, it isn't fair to anyone one, especially not me, Harry I don't want to be the thing that you two fight over, and I don't want to be a prize or the thing that splits you up, but Harry, what I do want is you."

* * *

"I can't do it." 

Harry was struck silent by Hermione's words, waiting for the explanation, there was less then a second between sentences, but the short time still gave Harry time to examine all the possibilities of what Hermione couldn't do.

"I'm breaking off the date with Ron."

Harry couldn't help but smile, of course he felt bad for his friend, but in his list of things he hoped Hermione would say, he had to admit that this was near the top. Harry listened closely to Hermione as she said her speech, and as it finally came to a close,

"Harry, what I do want it you."

Harry lightly grabbed Hermione's cheek and pulled her in.

* * *

"Hey! Ginny! Gin! Where are you?" 

Ginny was snapped back from her melancholy thoughts by a voice in the hall calling her name, she reluctantly got up and opened her door, finding her youngest brother standing at the top of the stairs, broomstick in hand.

* * *

Ron glanced out his bedroom window, catching a glimpse of Harry sitting under the willow. 

"Perfect," he said to himself as he grabbed his broomstick and headed for the door, "We'll have a game of two on one if I can only find-" "

Hey Ginny!" he yelled.

Ginny glanced back at her window as she approached her brother. "What do you want?" she asked, "I thought polishing you're little present would've kept you busy all morning."

Ron, ignoring his sister, asked if she'd come play a few rounds of Quidditch with him and Harry.

"Ri-Right now?" Ginny asked, trying her best to peer back inside to her bedroom window, "Maybe later, you er- don't want to do anything to mess up the great polish you got there, let's go later… much later…" "

Nah," Ron said, pushing past his sister and down the stairs, I'll just see if Harry can."

"Wait!, " Ginny exclaimed, trying to get in front of him, " why not wait till Fred and George get home? Then we'll have a real game." Ron shifted his feet, staring at the ground, "I was kind of hoping to finish practice _before _they got home, they might-"

"Might what?" Ginny interrupted. Ron blushed, "Have it out with me, I was going to maybe think about tryingoutforquidditch."

Ginny tried to suppress a giggle, calming down enough to ask a very flustered Ron to repeat himself.

Ron sighed, "Try out for qudditch… There's an opening, and I thought that maybe…"

Ginny tried, and was failing quite miserably at holding in her giggles, much to the embarrassment of her older brother.

"Oh shut it," he snapped, "I'll just go practice with Harry then." He said as he bounded down the stairs.

Ginny got her giggles in check real quick, trying to catch her brother as he made his way down the stairs.

* * *

Hermione's eyes widened as Harry softly pulled her in for a slow kiss, and as their lips parted she pulled herself closer to him and smiled. 

"So," she grinned, "you still say a kiss is just a kiss?"

Harry jokingly poked her in the stomach, "you know quite well I didn't mean it, and about that date, you better call it, off, I don't think I could handle it after all.

Hermione smiled at this and gave Harry another kiss, before making herself more comfortable in his lap.

* * *

**Well, there's chapter three, I hope you enjoyed, and could follow along, the flow might be a bit confusing. If you want to see more please, check out my other stories, and above all, REVIEW**


End file.
